Pro Mixing Engineer

Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

A: I've been lucky enough to work with a few artists I loved when I was growing up, like Wyclef Jean and Lil Wayne. I would love to one day work with my some of my other favorite bands and artists who influenced me growing up, including Coheed and Cambria, Paul McCartney, and The Mars Volta. Some other amazing artists I'd love to work with are Gus Dapperton, Polyphia, and Still Woozy.

Q: Can you share one music production tip?

A: Never be afraid to try an idea. Throw the ideas at the wall and see what sticks. If the idea seems weird or different, don't be afraid to embrace it.

Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

A: I usually work on popular music, including hip hop, R&B, trap, drill, pop, indie and rock.

Q: What's your strongest skill?

A: My strongest skill is creating a mix that fits the client's needs and brings their vision to life.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: if the client wants my creative input, I always try to bring a unique perspective to each song. When writing a song it's hard for us to imagine hearing our song for the first time as a listener. It's my job to provide that insight and to bring ideas to the table that the song writer wouldn't originally think of. Unexpected elements and ideas help elevate our music and allow the song to be enjoyed by a larger demographic of listeners.

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: My process involves a few steps that I apply to all projects, but most songs require customized steps and attention. Each song is different, and finding the best process for each track is crucial for success. For a recording project, we start by creating our skeleton for the song, recording scratch tracks, and getting the song ready for final tracking. When final tracking begins, I focus entirely on the performance of the musician or singer. I want to always capture the most powerful and true performance for the song no matter what. After that we enter our mixing phase where I provide creative ideas for production and enhancements on our tracks. From there we move on to mastering, where I use specific plug-in chains to add volume and color to the final mix and prepare it for release.

Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

A: I work out of my home studio and Heads Audio in northern NJ, where we have a live room for tracking vocals, drums, guitars. etc. I use Universal Audio equipment, I own an Apollo x8 and an Apollo Twin. In the studio space we use a Millennia HV-3D eight channel mic preamp, a Distressor X, and a Neve four channel mic preamp as our outboard gear. My microphone collection includes two Neumann TLM170 microphones, Shure SM7Bs, and various other condenser and dynamic mics for various applications. My monitors are Mackie HR824s.

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

A: I'm mostly inspired by my current mentor, Wyclef Jean. He's taught me a lot about what elements can be added to a song to make it stand out. I am also heavily inspired by my favorite producer and engineer, George Martin (The Beatles), and my peers, WavieBoi B and Alex English.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: I most commonly work with recording, mixing, and mastering songs. I also produce songs for my clients, which involves creating unique and interesting elements to elevate the song to the next level. I assist in writing, adding pieces, creating soundscapes, and bringing production to a professional level.